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Getting Started as a Student:
An online guide is available for new students to help them get started. The guide includes information about the steps it takes to become a student (PID set up, health history documentation, registration and payment, Hokie Passport, etc) and links to a variety of campus events and services, financial resources, campus life, and more. Visit the online guide>> .

Orientation Programs:
The Graduate School hosts a new student orientation in the GLC auditorium on Friday, August 21, 9:00-11:00am. Morning refreshments will be served 8:30-9:00 in the lobby. Attendance of this session is not mandatory, but is encouraged, especially for students who do not have an orientation program within their department. We request that students who plan to attend this session register online (registration will open in mid-July).

We also provide a variety of information sessions and activities to help new students get started in their graduate career, including an information fair in the GLC between August 17-21. The fair features more than 50 campus and community organizations and services. 

Detailed information about the orientation and Welcome Week activities>>

If you have any questions or concerns about getting started at Virginia Tech, please contact us by phone at 540.231.9561 or by email.

Based on clarification received from the Budget Office regarding compliance with Virginia’s appropriation act, eligibility for out-of-state waiver based on assistantship status and earnings is defined as follows, effective Fall 2015:

• Fall: Must be on 4.5- or 9- or 12-month GA/GTA/GRA and earn at least $2000 on assistantship stipend between Aug 10-Dec 24
• Winter: Must be on a 9- or 12-month GA/GTA/GRA and earn at least $2000 on assistantship stipend between Aug 10-Dec 24, or $4000 or more between Aug 10-May 9
• Spring: Must be on 4.5- or 9- or 12-month GA/GTA/GRA and earn at least $2000 on assistantship stipend between Dec 25-May 9
• Summer: Must have been on a 9- or 12-month GA/GTA/GRA or spring only assistantship and earned at least $4000 on assistantship stipend between Aug 10-May 9

 

	Academic year
Summer	Fall	Winter	Spring	Summer
No assistantship No OOS waiver	Assistantship stipend ≥$2,000 Eligible for OOS waiver	No assistantship Eligible for OOS waiver if fall stipend ≥$4,000	No assistantship No OOS waiver	No assistantship No OOS waiver
No assistantship No OOS waiver	Assistantship stipend ≥$2,000 Eligible for OOS waiver	(9- or 12-m assistantship) Eligible for OOS waiver	Assistantship stipend ≥$2,000 Eligible for OOS waiver	No assistantship Eligible for OOS waiver
No assistantship No OOS waiver	No assistantship No OOS waiver	Winter assistantship Eligible for OOS waiver	Assistantship stipend ≥$2,000 Eligible for OOS waiver	No assistantship Eligible for OOS waiver if spring stipend ≥$4,000
Assistantship stipend Eligible for OOS waiver	Assistantship stipend ≥$2,000 Eligible for OOS waiver	(9-m assistantship) Eligible for OOS waiver	Assistantship stipend ≥$2,000 Eligible for OOS waiver	No assistantship Eligible for OOS waiver

 

 

Starting Monday, May 18, the Graduate School’s Blacksburg offices in the GLC will operate with summer hours, opening at 9:00am each day and closing at 4:00pm. The summer schedule will be in effect through Friday, Jul 31. Regular business hours (8-5) will resume on Aug 3. When the Graduate School is open but the GLC is closed, visitors may access Graduate School offices through the entrance door facing Squires Student Center.

The Graduate Life Center remains accessible 24/7 to all graduate students with a valid Hokie Passport. A secure drop box is available for form submissions immediately outside GLC 120.

The Graduate School invites all graduating graduate students and their friends and families to its spring commencement ceremony. The event will be streamed live on VT’s website. Doctoral candidates and their hooding professors should report to the Spring Road side of Cassell Coliseum to check in between 10:30-11:30am. Master’s, education specialist and certificate candidates should report to Cassell Coliseum between 10:30-11:30am and follow the signage to the check-in location in Gym 213.

 

For questions contact grads@vt.edu

Graduate Commencement Basics

General Commencement Information

Graduate students and members of the Virginia Tech community are invited to participate in Graduate Education Week events from March 23 through March 27. Workshops, luncheons, award ceremonies, research symposium, student photo and art display, and a variety of other events mark the 15th annual Graduate Education Week.

For a full description and schedule of events, visit our GEW 2015 website.

Sponsored by the Graduate School and supported by departments across the university, Graduate Education Week (GEW) is celebrated annually during the last full week of March to:

• highlight the importance of graduate education
• increase the university community’s awareness of the contributions of graduate students to teaching, research and service
• and enhance the graduate student experience through personal and professional development programs and social and celebratory events.

The Graduate School invites nominations for the following student awards: 

•   Outstanding Dissertation– two awards, one in math/science/engineering and one in social sciences/business/humanities, $1000

•   Graduate Student Teaching Excellence- two awards, one for GTA instructor of record and one for GTA who assists instructor of record, $1000

•   Graduate Student Service Excellence– $1000

•   Graduate Student of the Year– up to three awards, $500

•   Outstanding Interdisciplinary Program Student– $500

•   Outstanding Graduate Student– one master’s and one doctoral student per      college, $500

The deadline for nominations is February 6, 2015 at 5 pm. Notifications of each college’s selection of their outstanding master’s and doctoral students are due by  February 13 at 5 pm.

Email questions to grads@vt.edu or call 231-4558.

The university now requires that all graduate student employees complete Title IX and Retaliation training  by Jan 31, 2015 and become familiar with their responsibilities and obligations concerning what to do if a student discloses sexual harassment, sexual violence (rape and other non-consensual sexual activity) or if an allegation of retaliation is made for having reported such activity. There are a number of ways through which students may satisfy this requirement:

• Participate in a workshop arranged by their academic department or other unit of employment
• Complete the workshop online by registering through Coursewhere at www.training.vt.edu; must use PID and password to log in, then create a profile in Coursewhere before registering and watching the online presentation.
• Attend one of the workshops organized by the Graduate School for Thursday, Dec 11. Pre-registration is required at  https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1418050857775 . Registration will close if all seats are filled. Attendance will be recorded by Hokie Passport swipe, so students must bring their Hokie Passport to the session. Sessions are at:      

• 8:30-10:00am in GLC Room F (60 seats)
• 1:30-3:00pm in GLC Auditorium (550 seats)

Please contact the Graduate School Student Services Office with any questions at 231-4558, or by emailing to grads@vt.edu.

 

A video is available for those who missed the December  Preparing for Graduation webinar. The video may be downloaded via YouTube or iTunes U.

 

For information on degree completion guidelines and deadlines see Graduate School site.

 

For assistance, in reference to the Graduation 101 Series contact Marija Telbis-Forster mtelbisf@vt.edu .

 

The Graduate School invites nominations for the following student awards: 

•   Outstanding Dissertation– two awards, one in math/science/engineering and one in social sciences/business/humanities, $1000

•   Graduate Student Teaching Excellence- two awards, one for GTA instructor of record and one for GTA who assists instructor of record, $1000

•   Graduate Student Service Excellence– $1000

•   Graduate Student of the Year– up to three awards, $500

•   Outstanding Interdisciplinary Program Student– $500

•   Outstanding Graduate Student– one master’s and one doctoral student per      college, $500

The deadline for nominations is February 6, 2015 at 5 pm. Notifications of each college’s selection of their outstanding master’s and doctoral students are due by  February 13 at 5 pm.

Email questions to grads@vt.edu or call 231-4558.

The Graduate School will be hosting monthly Graduation 101 Webinars. A webinar is a web conferencing and eLearning environment in real time. Webinar participants will need a computer with Internet access, microphone and speakers to fully participate. December’s topic:  Preparing for Graduation-Final Steps for Completing Your Degree

When: December 1,  2014
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Where:  https://virginiatech.webex.com/virginiatech/j.php?MTID=m6ac0d8d65b95501a7d0748c449b6c2a3

Meeting Password: (This meeting does not require a password)

For assistance, contact Marija Telbis-Forster mtelbisf@vt.edu